How Should You Be Brushing Your Teeth?

How well are you brushing your teeth? While most people understand that it’s important to keep their teeth clean, there are a lot of people that aren’t giving their teeth the level of care that they need. These are a few tips you’ll want to keep in mind if you’re trying to do a better job of brushing your pearly whites.

Brush Your Teeth Twice Daily

You’ll want to make sure you brush your teeth at least twice each day. Ideally, you should be brushing your teeth immediately after getting up in the morning, and brushing them a second time before you go to bed at night.

When you’re brushing your teeth, you should hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle. Using short strokes, you should move the brush back and forth across your teeth. You should continue to brush for a minimum of two minutes.

Use A Brush With Soft Bristles

A lot of people opt for a brush with hard bristles because they feel it’s the best way to clean their teeth. However, if the bristles on your toothbrush are too firm, they could wind up damaging your enamel.

Instead, you should stick to brushes with softer bristles. As long as you brush your teeth for a few minutes, even these bristles should be able to clean your teeth. These kinds of toothbrushes are gentle on your teeth, but they can still get the job done.

Replace Your Toothbrush Every Few Months

If you notice that your toothbrush is fraying, it’s time to toss it out. You won’t want to continue to use your toothbrush if it’s showing visible signs of wear. When a toothbrush is worn down, it will no longer be able to effectively clean your teeth.

Even if your toothbrush appears to be in good condition, it’s generally best to replace it every two to three months. Keep a watchful eye on your toothbrush and always have a replacement handy. If you’d like to replace your toothbrush a little less frequently, you may want to opt for an electric toothbrush instead.

Clean Every Part Of Your Teeth

It’s easy to focus on the surface of your teeth during a brushing session. However, you’ll want to make sure that every portion of your teeth is getting the kind of care that it needs. You should clean the inner surfaces, the outer surfaces, and the part of your teeth that is used to chew food.

You’ll also want to clean in between your teeth. Of course, you won’t always be able to do this with a toothbrush. You’ll want to floss your teeth daily as well. While brushing should be done twice every day, you only need to floss once per day.

Don’t Neglect Your Tongue

People tend to focus on their teeth during the brushing process, but it’s important to make sure that the tongue is cleaned as well. Many toothbrushes have a tongue scraper that is located on the back of the brush. This can be used to scrape away bacteria and plaque that might be clinging to your tongue.

If you have had issues with halitosis in the past, there’s a very good chance that your tongue is the culprit. If you give your tongue some attention when you’re brushing your teeth, you’ll be able to make sure that your entire mouth is clean.

Choose The Right Toothpaste

Your toothpaste is going to help you clean your teeth, which is why you should select the toothpaste you use carefully. There are all kinds of products available, and it’s a wise idea to choose something well-suited to what your teeth need.

If your teeth are discolored, whitening toothpaste might be a good option. If you want a more natural toothpaste, you’ll find all kinds of products that utilize natural ingredients. Read reviews for different kinds of toothpaste so that you can find some products that are highly recommended.

Brushing your teeth is incredibly important, which is why you’ll want to make sure you are doing it properly. Don’t neglect your dental health. Even if you’re seeing your dentist annually, you’ll need to make sure that you’re taking great care of your teeth at home as well.